Entertainment

Motorola Droid Razr: First Impressions [PICS & VIDEO]

Motorola unveiled its latest phone, the Droid Razr, which it touts as "the world's thinnest smartphone," at an event this afternoon in New York City.

The new phone sports a dual-core processor, 4G LTE on Verizon's network, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display and a profile that truly defines "thin."

After taking some time to play with the phone, here are our first impressions.

It Is Thin

A hallmark of the original Motorola Razr was its thinness. Motorola managed to make a clamshell phone that was sleek, sexy and thin. The company has taken the same approach to the Droid Razr.

Measuring in at just 7.1mm thick, the Droid Razr is svelte. Motorola says it's the thinnest 4G LTE device on the market and it may just be the slimmest smartphone in general.

The Droid Razr is also very lightweight. Holding it in my hand, I was taken aback by just how light the device is. I'm not sure if I liked the lightness — I prefer a tiny bit more heft, especially with a screen so large — but this is certainly not a phone that will bog anyone down.

The Screen Is Awesome

The Super AMOLED Advanced qHD screen is beautiful. Without serious hands-on testing, it's impossible to know how this compares to the iPhone 4/iPhone 4S, but this is easily the best looking Droid display yet. Compared to the Droid Bionic, which I recently reviewed, this device just oozes clarity and brightness.

Motorola touted that the Droid Razr will be the first phone to support streaming Netflix in HD. That's great for movie fans — though we're not sure about what difference will make in real-world usage.

For me, the screen was definitely one of the standout features on the device.

Whither Droid Bionic

The new Droid Razr

Motorola and Verizon recently released the Droid Bionic, after months of delays. The Bionic is a great phone, but the Razr trounces it and then some.

Anyone considering the Droid Bionic should set their sights on the Droid Razr. Same dual-core processor, same 4G LTE, thinner, better battery, better screen and an assortment of accessories that would make Barbie jealous.

Battery Life Uncertainties

We couldn't get a clear answer from Motorola regarding battery life on the Droid Razr. Sure, the standby and talk time looked impressive — but whether those tests were done on 3G, 2G (if we're talking Verizon's voice network) or 4G LTE wasn't clear.

My own experience testing a number of Verizon 4G LTE devices leads me to believe that while the Droid Razr might have great battery life using 3G, when 4G is enabled, that time is going to go down. Fast.

Razr Is Back

Ultimately, I'm impressed with the Razr. This is Verizon's big Android phone for the holiday season and a valiant competitor against both the Samsung Galaxy S II and the iPhone 4S.

With the original Razr, Motorola created something magical and iconic. While I don't think the Droid Razr will achieve that long-lasting status for smartphones, it does help cement Motorola's position as one of the elite Android device makers, especially for the Verizon network.

Priced at $299.99, the phone isn't cheap. Still, the phone looks like it packs a powerful punch for Android fans.

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